More stories....


Hootayah
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Joined: 09/30/00
Posts: 274
Hootayah
Registered User
Joined: 09/30/00
Posts: 274
10/17/2000 3:02 am
This is the most interesting section of the forum but hardly anybody posts stories.... hasn't anybody got any funny stuff that happened on the road??
One of my most embarrasing things to happen was sarcastically applauding our vocalist when he screwed up a song once...as I lifted my arms, my guitar strap gave way and my guitar went crashing to the stage. I picked it up, but the pickup had come out of it's holder and was sticking up and blocking the strings. I'd strum the strings and get nothing but noise.
Everybody in the audience was looking at me....my face turned beet red and I had to drive home and get my other guitar delaying our show by an hour.

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[email]hootayah@email.com[/email]
Hey you kids! Get outta that Jello tree!! :mad:
# 1
Hootayah
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Joined: 09/30/00
Posts: 274
Hootayah
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Joined: 09/30/00
Posts: 274
10/17/2000 3:05 am
One more....
the most embarrasing thing I ever saw another band do was opening for SAGA in Barrie. They were a local High School band and the guitar player was a really big fat guy....obviously shy and not very self confident.
They were announced...the band walked out onstage to wild applause...and the fat guy slipped on a cable and fell flat on his ass in front of an entire theatre full of people. Everybody is laughing their asses off and I felt so sorry for that guy having to go back to school the next day.

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[email]hootayah@email.com[/email]
Hey you kids! Get outta that Jello tree!! :mad:
# 2
John O'Carroll
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Joined: 04/13/00
Posts: 173
John O'Carroll
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11/28/2000 5:24 pm
Recently we were playing a bar. The setup was narrow from front to back so the PA speakers were in front of the band to each side. These are old Shure Vocalmaster columns (from the 60's !!!) and stand about 6 feet tall and are very narrow. Anyay, during a break between sets, an audience member got too close to the column and knocked it over. Nothing happened to either. Five minutes into the next set, the same a**hole does the same thing but this time it falls on his ankle (so he claims) and there he is laying on the floor. After a few minutes, the band and the bar bouncer realized this guy wasn't hurt and was trying to shake us down for some $$$. Well, the bouncer picked the guy up off the floor, carried him to the door and unceremoniously tossed him into the street. The moral of the story: make sure the band is in good with the bouncers -you just never know what's gonna happen in a bar gig.

P.S. We retired the Shure PA and got a Yamaha PA with stands for the speakers. I'm just wondering if we should take out casualty insurance for the future (just kidding).
# 3
puisi
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Joined: 12/13/00
Posts: 7
puisi
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12/14/2000 4:58 pm
the most embarassing thing that happened to me was when i was playin in a school gig. we were playing the song 18 and a life by Skid Row (great band!) and when i was juz abt to play the solo part....my first bend of the string....it snapped....and i was like..."eerrr **** **** damn...arghh" so i juz smiled...quickly juz picked a few notes somehwere else on the guitar...then continued wif the song. the crowd was like laughing their asses off at my reaction.
but other then dat..things went quite smoothly for all other gigs.

# 4
Raskolnikov
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Raskolnikov
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12/18/2000 4:14 am
the worst I've done is miss a few cues back in high school stuff. Usually songs I wanted nothing to do with (as in I tuned my bass down to dropped C just to keep myself amused). Since then I've only broke strings in front of audiences (actually, my four string is currently sporting the G string that came w/ my five string once more due to thursday night's shenanagins). I've only aborted a song once due to string breakage and that's because we were just barely starting the song. But I'm sure as time goes on I'll find a way to make an ass of myself. I'm pretty good at it after all.
Raskolnikov
Guitar Tricks Moderator

Careful what you wish for friend
I've been to Hell and now I'm back again

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# 5
Rammstein2452
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Joined: 07/29/00
Posts: 57
Rammstein2452
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Posts: 57
12/28/2000 5:07 am
I havent really "giged" but i have had an odd experience. I was playing master of puppets for a croud slowly growing in front of my garage. and when i really start chugging fast and people are "head bangin" the pick just FLIES toward the crowd, it sucked so bad, i just unplugged and went inside slapping myself.
Hello me, Meet the REAL me
# 6
Trolle
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Joined: 12/28/00
Posts: 40
Trolle
Member
Joined: 12/28/00
Posts: 40
12/28/2000 2:02 pm
Well, some stories from Denmark:

I played with my band in a big park, with a 20.000+ crowd, really a big one for me back then (and the first). Things had to go wrong...
First, our cameraman walked by my amp while I was up front doin' the outro-solo and CUT!...he dragged the ****in' cable out of my amp!! (since, I've used tape to keep the cable in place even if I hang myself in it!)
Second, I used a wireless system, so I could get around the stage. But the stage was so big and lacked of monitors, so when I ran over to the other guitarist, I couldn't hear **** of what I was playing! I thought "**** it!" and played on along with my fellow guitarist, but I can't garantee how it sounded and the others in the band just smiled at me, cause I looked real lost.
Last, (still the same concert) when we had played the last tune and stood backstage, the showannouncer yelled to the crowd about extras. Somehow, he ****ed up his pep-talk and made the crowd go "Nooooooooo!!....Nooooooooooooo!".
Of cause, we thought that they really really hated us and I had never in my life experienced a crowd shout "NOOO!" like that. Suddently, I big bouncer pushed us back on the stage and the crowd went "YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!" and we played one more tune with our nerves shakin'. Scary moment of my life I'll say!!!

Fiddles
Trolle
# 7
puddlemaker
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puddlemaker
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12/31/2000 1:36 pm
how about in front of 700 people, we were playing our first gig doing all our originals off our cd. little did i know my tuner was stuck on 1/2 step flat. so the lights are off and im standing on the pa stack, time for the lights to go on so i do the 250 lbs fat man flying through the air. i land and my belt breaks so my pants fall to my knees. hit my first note on bass and its flat of course. simply awful.

# 8
jake sommers
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Joined: 03/09/00
Posts: 442
jake sommers
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Posts: 442
12/31/2000 10:42 pm
Oh My God!!!! you take home the prize, HANDS DOWN!!!
"Take my hand boss"
# 9
Rat520
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Joined: 06/26/00
Posts: 104
Rat520
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Posts: 104
01/01/2001 10:23 am
ha ha ha

that is truly one of the funniest guitar stories that i've ever heard, do you have a video clip?
"You know, we do more than just sing and dance. We've got a brain, too."
Backstreet Boys
# 10
Joseph
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Joined: 07/11/00
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Joseph
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02/24/2001 3:24 am
Well, its good that you can laugh about these rather embarrassing situations now,:) instead of holding it all inside of you to the point of no return. I know some musicians who were mentally damaged after a few incidents like these, but it all depends on how much persistence you have to let the good (even if it doesnt seem like much) out weigh the bad stuff. One of the worst situations on stage that I can think of is when you have a really bad drummer, (someone who dazzles you at the auditions but can't carry through with an even succession on notes once the real show begins.) And whats worse is when he can't follow along with the rest where he basically gives up almost all together.( Something like this happened before and I was caught in the middle.) The fans could have done a better job clapping their hands that night, but they just weren't motivated nor were any of the guys on stage, (except for me.)

But through these experiences we learn what not to do, and to test the reflexes o our musicians left and right.

-Joseph
www.ragmagazine.com
"Swoop and soar like the blues angels."
# 11
Mr. Vai
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Joined: 03/22/01
Posts: 91
Mr. Vai
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Posts: 91
03/23/2001 1:51 am
Ok my 2nd time playing infront of an audience kinda freaked me out cause it was infront of around 150-225 people from my school, and I decided to maybe set up an hour early and practice, well anyway, we were playing Gottta Get Away from the offspring and about 2 minutes before we are introduced to the crowd our drummer says " I want to do a drum solo" we looked at him like he was on crack or somthing! ugh so like idiots that we are we let him do it and stand motionless with our instruments in hand as our drummer bangs and bangs and bangs for longer then the song is!

P.S. the only thing bad that happened to me was that i knew the song so good that i got bored when i was playing it on stage, well i was such a dumb a** that i started day dreaming and right before the course i hit and held the note for like 2 seconds which sounded pretty bad but after i told my friends about it they said they didnt even notice
My guitar is like an umbillical cord, its wired into my head.
# 12
Joseph
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Joseph
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03/23/2001 3:49 am
Ide rather have a show off drummer working with me on stage, because then I would know that hes confident enough in case I wan'ted to throw him some impulsive unprepared ideas at the last moment. There were a few times when i was playing with my band where the owner of the club wan'ted us to extent our show because the second act hadn't arrived yet, I was prepared with a few extra cover songs under my belt. I just told our fill in drummer to just keep a steady beat and kind feel his way through with the rest of us. But he was asking too many questions with such little time, I understand the guy was a bit unexperienced, since he joined our group at the last minute, but he was really nervous and afraid to make a mistake that he sounded like one of those programmed drum machines. With that said, it was very difficult to get the crowd started that night (as well as finish up the set with a bang. I like working with confident musicians, those who aren't afraid to be themselves, those who are impulsive, like myself. :D

-Joseph
www.ragmagazine.com
"Swoop and soar like the blues angels."
# 13
Raskolnikov
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Joined: 07/05/00
Posts: 2,907
Raskolnikov
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Posts: 2,907
03/23/2001 1:59 pm
I am fully prepared to embarrase myself and everybody on stage at anytime. I can't tell you how many songs I've learned on stage just this last year.
Raskolnikov
Guitar Tricks Moderator

Careful what you wish for friend
I've been to Hell and now I'm back again

www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons
# 14
Joseph
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Joseph
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03/24/2001 1:01 am
But still theres a thin line between spontaneous creative input on the spot, and just flaking off at the expense of others. But still, you have to be prepared for just about any type of usical situation once you're on stage, and without that extra bit of confidence, something will always be holding you back. For every serious musician, its important to be comfortable with yourself as a whole, and to always leave room for improvement.

-Joseph
www.ragmagazine.com
"Swoop and soar like the blues angels."
# 15
Raskolnikov
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Joined: 07/05/00
Posts: 2,907
Raskolnikov
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Posts: 2,907
03/26/2001 2:20 am
Doing so much stuff on the spot has helped my playing incredibly, and has also helped me build a reputation as a guy who can do just about anything at any time. Also, I think anyone who can get up on stage with 2-4 guys they've never met before and make a song up is in a good place musicly. But confidence is a must, have to have the attitude that their's nothing you can't work around, or better yet, work with.
Raskolnikov
Guitar Tricks Moderator

Careful what you wish for friend
I've been to Hell and now I'm back again

www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons
# 16
Martin Spaans
Member
Joined: 03/27/01
Posts: 86
Martin Spaans
Member
Joined: 03/27/01
Posts: 86
05/18/2001 10:06 am
Our previous female singer could sing excellent, very pretty to see but extremely nervous.
On the first gig she made a song go terribly wrong just because her nerves, she could see the reactions of the public and that made it worse. She stopped singing looked hepfully to us and said I don't know the lyrics anymore.
We said go on don't stop sing lalala or something like that.
The second gig went the same way, fortunately she was not the only vocalist.
Now she stopped singing in the band.
Now we play on if theres going something wrong.
Lately a song started so fast, unbelieveble in our mind we **** it up. But hearing the tapes it was really nice to hear how we mangaged the mistake, only in the first measures we had to adjust but after that it sounded great.
# 17

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